02 Dec 2020

The name; Kebonyemodisa ‘Dose’ Mosimanyane, may not ring a bell for many.

But this is a man on a golden mission. He sharpens some of Botswana’s glittering treasures.

Like Glen Mills, who was tasked to take care of Jamaica’s best in Usain Bolt, the Maun-born, Kebonyemodisa coaches some of Botswana’s finest, amongst them

Amantle Montsho, Galefele Moroko, Baboloki Thebe, Karabo Sibanda, Leungo Scotch, Onneile Phokedi, Tumo Nkape, Ditiro Nzamani and Victor Ntweng.

It was a pleasant reward when the little known Dose won coach of the year award during the recent 40th Botswana Sport Awards, with the icing on the cake being when his two athletes: Scotch and Moroko won big at the same event.

Scotch won both the sportsman of the year and sportsperson of the year awards, while Moroko won the sportswoman of the year award.

Born in Maun, 42 years ago, Dose was educated in Gaborone. He went to Lesedi Primary School, Marang Junior Secondary School, and Naledi Senior Secondary School before proceeding to Midrand Graduate Institute in South Africa for his tertiary education.

Like any boy, he said he played football at primary school and was lucky to make it to the Township Rollers Under 15, which was every boy’s dream, in the 90s.

He said at junior and senior secondary schools he discovered his love for softball.

He said he coached athletics by accident, revealing that due to boredom, he decided to join Maun Athletics Club in 2016, initially only focusing on athletes’ welfare; providing training equipment like spikes, trainers, attire and transport to competitions as well as accommodation for competitions outside Maun.

Kebonyemodisa said he later helped Meleko Ndolo and Odirile Sibanda, who were Maun athletics club coaches, with time keeping, which was when his love for coaching was ignited.

He said the passion blossomed after visiting Nijel Amos in Potchefstroom and spending some time with coaches Jean Verster and Ciryl Lawless, attending their training sessions, understudying and learning from them.

He said in 2017, when Sibanda was transferred outside Maun, Ndolo roped him in as his assistant coach in charge of senior athletes, while he took care of development, youth and junior athletes.

Dose said with the knowledge he gained while in Potchefstroom, he was able to help prepare athletes for competitions and even organised for some of them to compete in Potchefstroom.

“The athletes impressed in Potchefstroom and that led to Cyril Lawless telling one Sors Joubert from Cape Town about our Maun training group,” he said.

He said Joubert visited them in Maun to find out what they were doing right, only to find that they were just coaching without certificates.

He said Joubert then invited them to Cape Town for a coaching course,and offered to pay for all their expenses.

“All we needed to do was get ourselves to Cape Town. That’s how I got my BOLAND athletics Level 2 provincial athletics coaching certificate, which is the qualification that I currently hold,” he said

He said so far, two of his athletes, Galefele and Montsho have already qualified for the Olympics Games, while three, Tshepiso Masalela, Tlhompang Basele and Kemorena Tisang won gold medals during the 2019 BAA National Championships,

Kebonyemodisa also led the Botswana athletics team to the 2019 African Games in Morocco, achieving the 4x400m men’s gold and women’s 4x400m silver medal, while Scotch and Moroko won individual gold medals.

Dose is currently working with national team coach, Justice Dipeba as his assistant, preparing Team Botswana for the Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, Dipeba said “Dose is an amazing young man, I met him not more than two years ago. What I like about him is that he is very committed to his coaching, he is passionate about coaching,” he said.

Dipeba said the most important part was that Kebonyemodisa had a good relationship with his athletes.

“With coaching that’s where it all starts. A coach has to relate with athletes and they also have to relate with you,” he said. ENDS